The present invention relates to vehicle visors and particularly to a mounting assembly for attaching a visor to a vehicle.
Visors typically are conventionally mounted to a vehicle by an elbow mounting bracket which couples one end of the visor pivot rod to the vehicle. Such elbow brackets are secured to the sheet metal or other framework of the vehicle roof by fastening screws, snap-in fasteners, or, in some instances, twist on bayonet-type fasteners. Visors include a visor body into which the other end of the visor pivot rod extends with a torque fitting extending between the visor body and rod to allow the visor to rotate on the pivot rod from a stored position adjacent the vehicle headliner to various adjusted lowered use positions. The elbow bracket allows the visor to be pivoted to a side window position for blocking incoming sunlight from the side of the vehicle. Frequently such visors include illuminated vanity mirrors and/or accessories, such as garage door opening transmitters, memo recorders, or other electrical accessories.
Side curtain air bags are mounted within the vehicle headliner adjacent and above the side windows of the vehicle and extend downwardly when actuated. With such conventional visor mounting assemblies, it is possible for a vehicle operator to adjust a visor to a side window sun-screening position which could interfere with or inhibit the operation of a side curtain air bag. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/754,494, entitled VISOR MOUNTING ASSEMBLY filed on Jan. 4, 2001, provides one solution to the problem by providing detent and/or stops at the interface between the visor rod elbow and its elbow mounting bracket.
This invention addresses the problem of misaligning a visor in a side window sun-blocking position which could interfere with the operation of a side curtain air bag by structure which is not located at the interface between the visor rod elbow and its elbow mounting bracket.
The visor mounting assembly of the present invention provides a system in which a visor rod is mounted to a visor rod mounting bracket with a detent spring mounted to the mounting bracket and engaging a detent on an end of the visor rod projecting through the mounting bracket on a side opposite the finished surface of the vehicle headliner. The spring detents the visor when moved from a front windshield position to a side window position at a location which allows clearance of the side curtain air bag, thereby providing the user with a tactile detent allowing positioning of the visor when in a side window position at a location which does not interfere with or inhibit the operation of a side curtain air bag.
According to another aspect of the invention, a detent spring is provided which includes a pair of orthogonal integrally joined U-shaped members defining vertically spaced horizontally extending floors, each having apertures aligned for receiving a visor rod end and vertically extending walls coupled to the horizontally extending floors and between the floors for engaging the sides of a visor rod extending through the apertures.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the visor mounting assembly includes a visor rod with a keyed end for lockably receiving a stop member which cooperates with a visor mounting bracket such that when the visor is moved from a front windshield position to a side window position, its movement is limited to locate the visor in a position spaced to provide clearance in the zone of operation of a side curtain air bag if deployed. Accordingly, a visor mounting assembly of the present invention provides an improved visor mounting system by which the vehicle operator can either tactilely locate or is limited in locating a visor in a safe side window sun-blocking position for use in a vehicle equipped with a side curtain air bag.
These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description thereof together with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle including a visor embodying the present invention, shown with the visor in a first position;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle including a visor embodying the present invention, shown with the visor in a second lowered use position;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle including a visor embodying the present invention, shown with the visor in a side window sun-blocking position;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged end elevational view of the visor as shown in FIG. 3, shown with a side curtain air bag in a deployed position;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the visor mounting assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 5 once assembled;
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the assembled structure of FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative element of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.